Speaking up can save you money

Within a few weeks, one of our staffers negotiated an impressive series of financial victories. First, she used an offer from a rival bank to pressure her own lender to cut the rate on her home-equity line of credit by a full percentage point. Next, she protested her cable company’s $10 monthly increase and gained a $15-a-month loyalty discount instead. Then she coaxed her home heating-oil company to cut its price by 25 cents a gallon, saving about $176 for the rest of the season. Finally, heeding her therapist’s advice to be more assertive, she negotiated a $40 discount off her usual fee of $175 an hour. The moral of the story?  It pays to haggle. The video below gives some tips for effective haggling.